Matt Ford says that's what happened to his family last Friday, after two neighboring pit bulls escaped from their yard and grabbed their small dog, Odie.

"The owner was holding one over here, and the other one had Odie's in its mouth, swinging him around like a rag doll," Ford said.

According to a veterinarian's report, Odie had several broken ribs and deep bite marks and had to be euthanized.

Walton County Animal Control director Bill Wise said the pit bull owners will receive four citations: two for public nuisance and two for public ordinance violation.

The owners will also have to register their dogs as "dangerous animals" under the newly-passed Georgia Responsible Dog Act. Once registered, the dogs must remain in an enclosed area or on a leash at all times. Owners must post warning signs on their property and call animal control if the dogs bite again.

Ford said the two dogs have escaped from their yard before and are a source of constant fear for neighbors. He said the punishment is nothing more than a slap on the wrist.

"I've seen what they did to a 20 pound dog," he said. "I have a 30 pound two-year-old. There's no more dogs around; the only thing left to chew on is kids."

11Alive contacted the pit bulls' owner, who said his dogs attacked after Odie provoked them outside of their own fence. He declined to comment further.